Nic̦oise Market-inspired cooking from France's sunniest city

For readers who think Niçoise can only mean a salad of tuna and anchovies, potatoes and green beans, Jackson, the Canadian owner of a cooking school in Nice, will set the record straight. More Mediterranean than Parisian, Niçoise cuisine emphasizes fish, seafood, street nibbles, and readily available vegetables over formal meals with elaborate sauces. Of the 100-plus recipes Jackson shares here, many are borrowed from local provisioners and restaurateurs (with credit graciously attributed). Divided by season, the collection features informal color photographs beside flavors old and new: savory Swiss chard pie, stuffed sardines, chickpea fries, cherry clafoutis, peach melba, tarte au citron. In her longish instructions, Jackson amazes with lots of informative and encouraging sidebars on things like hunting for mushrooms, crushing hazelnuts, washing leeks, and stocking the Nice pantry. As a bonus, consider this bona fide and truthful publicity for the region. Includes seasonal menus and an address book for all foodie spots mentioned in the book.

Cooking instructor Jackson (Les Petits Farcis) delivers a vivid ode to the cuisine of Nice, France, weaving in expert cooking tips, personal anecdotes, and glimpses of the Mediterranean city's current and historic food culture. Arranged by seasons with a hyperlocal focus on seasonal bounties, the recipes include classics like the summery ratatouille Niçoise (a "joyous mishmash") and a salade Niçoise that hews closer to the raw local version than the one popularized by chef Auguste Escoffier, who added boiled potatoes and green beans. Seafood dishes include fish fillets with aioli and spring vegetables, and mussels with tomato and saffron. Street fare intrigues, including pan bagnat, "a kind of salade Niçoise in a bun" and socca, a simple chickpea flour pancake, and desserts abound, with spring and summer offering lighter fare--peaches roasted with olive oil and honey--while winter features heavier, citrusy options, including a lemon tart and a sweet Swiss chard pie popular at Christmas. Jackson is quick to recommend substitutes and adaptations, and a handy final chapter offers foundational recipes, including strained tomatoes, aioli, vinaigrette, and several pastry doughs. In lively intros to the recipes, Jackson shares stories of local restaurateurs and chefs who have inspired her, and waxes poetic about ingredients: Swiss chard, for example, is best enjoyed "preferably standing on a mountainside with wild thyme and rosemary at your feet." This passionate portrait of a pocket of French cuisine is sure to inspire. (Apr.)